Lost Sunrise
by Pseudonym101
Summary: a good old fashion romance action vampire story. my own story, my own characters. a tortured dead man and a mortal woman resembling a dead bride. tragedy? love? or will outside forces split them apart.
1. Chapter 1

(If you're enjoying this one, please check out my other titles… The Omen: rebirth and retribution 1 in Misc movies and Bloodrayne: lessons in blood in the misc rpg in games, and, Chronicles of Narnia: the red queen in C.s lewis, harry potter and the daughter of evil in harry potter/books.….)

Italy 1602

The youth looked over the still form his bride. His green eyes taking in every inch of her now pale skin, her red lips. His hand reached forward and he caressed the black hair that surrounded her face. He held back tears. He could not let the family see him cry. her white dress was of the softest silk. It was supposed to be her wedding gown. Now she would be buried in it. Another man placed a hand on the youth's shoulder. He shrugged it away. He picked up her cold hand and held it in his.  
"Someday I'll find you again. Next time it will be forever. I promise" he murmured, still holding her hand.  
He replaced the hand across her breast and ran from the crowded room. The other man followed and found him in the courtyard. The younger man sat racing an empty balcony, watching the soft red curtains flow gently back and forth in the evening breeze. The other man, a tall blonde named Marcello, sat quietly next to his young cousin. Marcello could not think of anything to say to comfort him.  
"That was her balcony" the boy said suddenly. "Every night I would climb the stone wall to sir here and wait for her to come out every evening .I even played the violin for her..." He looked to Marcello.  
"I could have..."  
"No" Marcello said quickly, cutting him off. "She was too soft, too much of a child. She would not have handled a life like ours well enough to survive."  
He knew Marcello was right. He'd been holding back those tears. But the memories were breaking him. He sat there on the edge of the fountain. The tears of his kind fell freely.

Present day

The club Dark Things was one of the hottest alternative nightspots around. It wasn't quite opening time yet. The sun had only been down about an hour. Inside the building, it was being set up for night. In the booth above the large dance floor, a tall blonde-haired man in a fishnet shirt was sorting through numerous cd racks. A set of headphones over his ears was blasting music into his head. He continued to rifle through the racks before him, writing down songs for the night's play lists. The booth door opened behind him and a younger dark-haired man stepped in unnoticed. He tapped the one in the headphones on the shoulder. Marcello turned away from his play lists to see who it was. He smiled coolly and took the headphones off. It was only one his cousin, one of the other owners.  
"Evening Orion, my melancholy cousin."  
Orion's green eyes peeked out from under the raven black hair hanging in his face. He brushed his long hair over his shoulders and tied it back.  
"Evening Marcello. Have the others...gone out?"  
"Yes they have."  
Orion nodded and stared out across the room. He surveyed the dance floor, the sitting area that was sectioned off from the dance floor and the main bar by a huge glass wall. His eyes stopped upon the main bar where he would spend most of the night. He glanced at Marcello writing songs down.  
"What have you got planned?"  
"I was thinking lots of industrial tonight, lots of dancing and electronics."  
Orion nodded.  
"I'll leave you to it then."  
Marcello waved at him over his shoulder, engrossed in collection of music in front of him.  
Orion headed back across the dance floor to the bar, looking around the place as he went. The club had been up and running twelve months now. He took care of the bar and getting the humans drunk. Marcello would get the big security guy called Bear to get them all to leave about five thirty, just before sun up. This club was the only thing that Orion had any pride for in his unlife. He didn't care much about anything else. He only remembered to feed because of the terrible ache inside him every time he didn't. He wanted to forget what he was. After she died, all he felt like was some monster. He had convinced himself that that was what he was and all he would ever be. It was a little different now of course. He had the club to occupy his thoughts and his time.  
He hoisted himself up onto the bar effortlessly and began playing with an empty shot glass. After a few moments he placed the glass back on a rack of similar glasses. He pulled back his hand but not before glimpsing the gold band on his left hand. It was his wedding ring from all those centuries ago. He played with it, wondering why he still wore it. He kept reminding himself to take it off, but never seemed to manage to do so. He sat there for a while on the bar playing with the ring.  
He heard one of the front doors open. Marcello and Orion's other companions had returned. There were three of them. They were happily chatting away when they reached Orion at the bar.  
"Evening Orion" said a male voice.  
"Evening Morgan" Orion replied without looking up.  
"Sheesh, you really are in one of your funky moods today aren't you?" asked a female voice this time.  
Orion looked up finally. A red haired woman was standing in front of him with her arms folded in front of her.  
"I'm sorry Marie. I promise I'll cheer up ok."  
She raised an eyebrow.  
"You better."  
"I will."  
Another woman stepped up to him. A small brunette. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands gently and smiled.  
"You don't always have to be dark and brooding all the time you know."  
"I know."  
"The past is the past. We cannot change it, just as we cannot change what we are. So, I want you to promise that from now on, you're going to cheer up a bit and just enjoy the world around you ok."  
"Ok I promise."  
"Good"  
She stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. The redhead spoke up again.  
"We're just going to go start getting ready for tonight."  
Orion nodded. He watched them walk away with Morgan and disappear behind a door near the other end of the bar. That was where their resting quarters were hidden. Despite the fact that Charlotte and Marie always mothered him a bit, he had to admit Charlotte was right. He had to stop being so down and melancholy all the time. He had to start dealing with the world around him. Start dealing with what he was. At least Marcello would stop harassing him now. Orion checked the clock on the wall behind him. It was almost ten o'clock now. They would be opening the club soon. He listened carefully, and without much effort, he could already hear people hanging around outside.


	2. Chapter 2

(If you're enjoying this one, please check out my other titles… The Omen: rebirth and retribution 1 in Misc movies and Bloodrayne: lessons in blood in the misc rpg in games, and, Chronicles of Narnia: the red queen in C.s lewis, harry potter and the daughter of evil in harry potter/books.….)

She pulled her car into the parking lot across the street from Dark Things. She guessed there would have been at least forty or fifty people already lined up outside the club already. It wasn't even open yet anyway. She climbed out of her car and collected her purse and long hooded jacket off the backseat. She began to walk away and locked the car and turned on the alarm over her shoulder with the little remote on her keychain.  
About fifteen minutes after joining the end of the line she checked her watch. It was ten past ten. One of the club owners appeared at the now opened front doors. It wasn't the one with the green eyes she noted with slight disappointment. It was the blonde one called Marco, or Marcel, or something like that. She could never remember. He stood on the box thing that the security guy sometimes stood on. He threw his hands in the air.  
"Welcome to Dark Things."  
The crowd cheered and began to slowly move forward as their identification was checked and they paid their entry fee. After about ten minutes she was inside. It was dark inside. Nothing but mostly colored lights and strobes lighting the interior. Smoke machines swamped the dance floor making it look like a scene out of an old horror movie. She left her coat in the cloakroom. She went further in. Upon entering the main room of the club, she scanned around, to see if he was here tonight. The one with the green eyes. Her eyes stopped at the bar. There he was. Smiling and clowning around with the dark-skinned barman .Her breath caught in her throat and she felt as if her heart had skipped a beat. She ran a hand through her long dark ponytail. Then smoothed her hands over her dress. She bought it specifically to wear to this club. It was a tight fitting Chinese style dress made from pvc. It had a sexy high cut split up each side. She wore matching pvc boots with platform soles. She hoped she looked good. She knew he did. She looked him over. He wore his pvc pants that he wore quite often and a simple tight black shirt. He had left his long raven hair untied she noted happily.  
She watched him clown around a bit more. She stood merely a few meters away from the bar. Just standing this distance from him made her beat faster and faster. She thought it would burst from her chest. Butterflies multiplied rapidly in her stomach. He was dancing around when he stopped and saw her. He looked like he was in shock, like he'd seen a ghost. Not exactly the look she was aiming for. Suddenly she felt self-conscious and stupid all of a sudden. A wave of disappointment and embarrassment washed over her for some reason. She decided it was stupid of her to come tonight, so she turned on her heel to leave.

He stood frozen to the spot. He couldn't move once he'd looked up and seen her. Just standing there watching him. He thought he was seeing things. This girl looked just like Her. His lost bride. But it couldn't be Her. She was a mortal and she died. But this other girl. The resemblance was remarkable. He could only look at her. Suddenly she looked upset and turned to leave. He shook himself back to reality and realized something must have been wrong, or that something was wrong with her. He could only imagine what the expression on his face must've been like. He told Morgan quickly to care of the bar. Orion climbed over the top of the bar and chased after her. She was about six meters from the exit when he caught up with her finally. He could've caught up to her much more quickly, but being what he was, he had to pretend to be human. He gently reached for her hand. She was startled and turned to face him quickly. Her dark brown eyes were wide with surprise.  
"Are you leaving so soon?" he asked gently, still holding her hand. She looked down at his fingers clasped around hers. She shrugged slightly and looked at him again.  
"I was going to…I don't know…" she trailed off. She seemed nervous, shy even. He could smell her perfume as they stood together. Someone could've knocked him over with a stick.  
"Why? I mean, please, don't leave." He said, trying to think of something to convince her to stay. He was overwhelmed by her resemblance. It was uncanny. He was trying very hard not to look as shocked, or stunned, as he felt. He was feeling so many things right now. He was confused, surprised, excited. He wasn't sure which was the right thing to feel. He only knew that he couldn't let her leave.  
"I…um…" she started mumbling along, unsure of what to say. Orion smiled.  
Think Orion, think, he told himself. He had to get her to stay. Discover who she was. This woman who looked so much like Her.  
"You look beautiful. The dress is beautiful," he leaned in closer, "but of course its nothing compared to the woman who's wearing it," he said softly in her ear. She realized what he had said and blushed. He was amazed at himself for saying such things. He had to get her to stay. He could see she was almost convinced. Orion knelt down in front of her. One hand still holding hers, the other placed upon his chest. He looked up and held her gaze.  
"My name is Orion. I would be honored if you would stay and dance with me," he said finally, looking up at her with pleading eyes. She couldn't help but smile. She felt as if she would melt away if she kept looking into his eyes while he looked at her like that. His hand holding hers kept giving her shivers. It took all of her control to stop herself from jumping him right then and there. My god he's gorgeous, she thought to herself. Then she realized she was blushing all over again.  
"My name is Jordan," she introduced herself, "and I'd love to dance with you.  
Orion stood up and offered an arm to her. She hesitated at first then slipped an elegant arm through his and rested it softly there. He loved how warm this delicate human felt on his skin. He led her to the dance floor just as a slow song began to play. He took her right hand and placed it upon his shoulder. Then he took her left in his right. His left hand then slid around her slender waist and pulled her gently closer to him. They danced for what seemed ages. They danced on and off during the night. Whenever he wasn't with her, he was behind the bar.  
By sunrise, Orion was sad to see her leave. He walked her to the doors and stopped, staying within the dark shadows on the inside of the doorway. He could feel the sun in the air, even if the sky was not light yet. He helped her put her coat on, then she turned back around to say goodbye. His green eyes met her dark ones.  
"Come tonight before opening" he said to her. She looked thoughtful, smiled, and then nodded. He kissed the hand that he held softly, and then only let go as she walked out of reach and towards her car. He sighed and pulled the doors closed, blocking out the coming sunlight. He wandered back to the bar casually. His head was off in dream world somewhere. Marcello, who had his arm slung around a meal, interrupted him. The comatose drunk slept face down against the bar.  
"Cousin, thought you might be hungry" Marcello offered cheerfully, almost teasing.  
"How considerate, cousin," Orion replied with a hint of sarcasm and malice lingering in his tone. Orion stepped toward the drunk. He grabbed his shoulders and pulled his head aside. He paused and looked at Marcello, who watched smiling, then he paused no more and took his fill of the man. A few seconds passed and the body fell to floor. Orion looked at the lifeless thing at his feet. Marcello opened a trap door and kicked the body into the black hole. Orion disappeared behind the door to his place of rest. Marcello followed and went to his own room.  
Orion's room was dark and windowless, like the others. He had a wardrobe, a few modern appliances like a television, a video player, stereo and recently, a DVD player too. He changed into some comfortable pants to sleep in and made himself comfortable on the soft queen sized bed. He could only think of her. All the confused rush of mixed emotions came back. He couldn't explain to himself how or why this woman existed or for that matter why she resembled Her so much. That was the part that hurt inside. Jordan looked like Her. He had to let go of Her some how. Jordan was different though. She may look like Her, but inside, she was not Her. This Jordan woman was not as fragile and delicate. Jordan was well-educated, strong-willed, independent, and much paler and had dark brown eyes. No. Jordan was certainly not Her. But the resemblance was enough to drive him mad. He couldn't understand it. Was Jordan like a reincarnation? Was the universe giving him another chance? He had no idea. He felt sleep take over him as he questioned his thoughts. He dreamt, but his dreams were plagued by painful memories from long ago… 


	3. Chapter 3

(If you're enjoying this one, please check out my other titles… The Omen: rebirth and retribution 1 in Misc movies and Bloodrayne: lessons in blood in the misc rpg in games, and, Chronicles of Narnia: the red queen in C.s lewis, harry potter and the daughter of evil in harry potter/books.….)

Jordan arrived home tired, but all she could feel was the excitement building inside her. Orion. His name was Orion. Like the stars. He had asked her to be there early tonight. She'd be there, even if it killed her. She rewound and played the messages in her answering machine. She draped her coat on the back of the door, tossed her purse and shoes on the floor and went to stand in front of her full length mirror. She watched herself as she undid the dress carefully and let it drop to the floor. He said she was beautiful. She sighed contently and stepped out of the dress, now crumpled on the floor, and put on her light blue satin pyjamas.  
The messages were playing loudly throughout the quiet apartment. One was from her mother, wondering why she hadn't called that day. The next was from her boyfriend Richard, warbling on about how he was worried about her and her lifestyle that she kept against his better wishes and that he loved her.  
"Yes, yes, you love me so much that you are trying to turn me into the perfect little corporate wife." She said sarcastically to herself as she wandered back into the living room and flung herself lazily into the black leather sofa. It was soft and comfy, and she would sink further down whenever she moved. There she was, on the verge of being engaged, and she's off chasing some mysterious dark and handsome barman from one of the local clubs. When she thought of Richard, she never got the feelings about him that she did about Orion. She never felt about Richard the things she felt inside just by looking at Orion. Nothing she could identify as love. Her parents had set her up with him about a year ago. Sure he was a great guy, but he not what she wanted anymore, or needed. He wanted her to be something she wasn't. When she thought of Orion, she felt wild inside. Feelings from somewhere unknown went mad inside of her, in her mind her thoughts were forbidden. She stretched, and then wriggled so that she sank further into the sofa. She pulled a warm quilt over her. The very thought of him made her feel so happy she thought she burst into pieces and die if she couldn't have him. She smiled wildly until her face hurt and fell into a happy slumber.

…Orion stood outside the house. The sun had just gone down. He was waiting for Alexander, his boyhood friend. Tonight would not end well. Alexander had challenged Orion. To a duel. Two guns, one shot. Whoever was left standing, or alive, was the victor. All this over Seline, Orion's bride. Alexander wanted her. He was jealous that she had chosen Orion. Jealous that she had married Orion the night before and not him. The wedding was amazing. Alexander was even the best man. Everything was perfect. Until the reception. Alexander had a bit to drink and during mid-speech to the happy couple, he lost it.  
Now Orion was outside the family home. Waiting. The front door of the house opened and Seline came dashing out. Her light blue dress whipping around her ankles as she ran down the front steps. She collided with him, throwing her arms around him tightly, refusing to let go. She was sobbing into his white shirt. He hated seeing her so distraught. He put his arms around her and held her close. He rested his cheek a top of her head, feeling her soft black hair against his skin.  
"Please. Do not do this" she pleaded.  
"I have no choice my love."  
"Yes. Yes you do" she reached up for his face. Her small hands felt soft as she held his face in them. "We can leave right now. We can run away."  
"We cannot dishonor our families. It would ruin them." She knew he was right.  
"But what if he shoots you? What will I do without you?"  
Now he held her face in his hands, tilting her up towards him so he could see her blue eyes. Tears were streaming down her face. She would not understand what he would say.  
"His bullets will not harm me."  
In the distance there was the sound of horses hooves. Seline began to cry even more and panic. He let her go and made her walk away from him. She would not. Marcello arrived by her side, pulling her away from Orion's sight. Marcello couldn't make her go inside, so he made her stay behind the garden wall on the stairs that led to this courtyard at the front of the house. Three riders approached. Marcello took his place behind Orion's left. The riders pulled up and stopped. One was Alexander. The other two were his father and his brother. Alexander and his companions dismounted.  
"This could've ended a lot more peacefully if you had just given her to me."  
"I cannot give away what will not leave me."  
"Still, you could have made her. I would've made her happy. Me. She should've been mine!"…  
…Alexander's father stood between the two young men. He opened a box and inside was two identical pistols. Marcello took one and Alexander's brother took the other. They loaded bullets and gun powder inside. Orion took his from Marcello just as Alexander took his. They stood back to back. In time they walked ten paces and faced each other. They went load the guns. Orion's gun was jammed. He looked up at Alexander, who realized what was happening and broke out into a grin, then pointed his gun at Orion. Orion closed his eyes and outstretched his arms, exposing his chest and accepting his fate. He would be out for a entire day after he was shot, then he would have to leave. No rational human being could accept a 'corpse' walking around. He braced himself.  
With his eyes closed he could not see Marcello struggling to hold Seline back. Alexander pulled the trigger. He opened his eyes at that moment to look at Alexander. In the second that the bullet took to travel from the gun to Orion, was enough time for Seline break away from Marcello's grasp. She leapt in from of the speeding bullet, taking it in the back.  
Orion's eyes widened in shock. He grabbed a hold of her as she began to slip to the floor. He could hear Alexander scream. As she grew heavy in his arms he slid to ground with her. She was trying to grasp onto him for a few moments. She reached to touch his face. Then her hand fell back down. It didn't move again. Her expression was as if she was sleeping. Orion's brain fought hard to process what had just happened. He continued to hold onto her.  
"No. no..no.." he repeated to himself. He rocked back and forth cradling her against him. Then he pulled her away so he could look at her and brushed her hair from her face. He looked at his hand. Covered in her blood. Then he heard Alexander.  
"If you had just given her to me none of this would've happened!"  
Marcello launched himself at Alexander and punched him hard in the face. Alexander fell back onto the ground, trying to regain his senses. Hearing the commotion outside, Orion and Seline's families came outside. There was more screaming and crying as relatives rushed forth.  
Orion laid her gently on the ground. She looked like she really was sleeping, except for the pool of blood spreading out from under her. Her dress was more red now than blue. Orion looked down at himself. More blood. He looked at his hands. Her blood. All hers. Then he heard Alexander again.  
"None of this would've happened if it wasn't for you! This is all your fault! She's dead because of you!!"  
Something inside Orion snapped. His expression turned into that of rage. He stood up slowly, both fists clenched at his sides. In one swift motion he pulled Marcello's sword from his cousin's belt and rushed at Alexander. Alexander went to hit him but Orion blocked him. Orion drove the sword into Alexander's chest. Alexander fell to the ground…h  
…Orion looked at his bride. Lost to him now she was. Marcello was there, with a comforting hand on his shoulder. He could not bear this pain inside him. This over-whelming grief. Feeling his eyes fill he dashed from the room and out into the courtyard. Marcello followed. There was a balcony above. It used to be hers. He felt warmth trickle down his cheeks. He touched a finger to his face and then examined it. The liquid on his finger was red. His kind cried tears like blood. He could not have his mortal family inside see this. Then they would know that he was different. A monster. Marcello was trying to comfort him. It was not helping. He slipped down to his knees upon the ground, his head in his hands. He looked to the night sky. Pain streaked his expression. All he could do was cry and scream her name to the stars.  
"Seline!!!!"… 


	4. Chapter 4

Jordan once again parked in the lot across from the club. She was sure it was about eight. She crossed the empty road. She wandered around the front doors. It looked like the place was dead. There were no windows so she couldn't see if there were any lights on and she couldn't hear anything inside. He wouldn't have stood her up would he? It was about twenty minutes before she finally decided that waiting around had been a bad idea.

She sighed and approached the curb to cross over and go back to her car. Then she heard one of the doors unlock. She turned around, feeling rather stupid of course, to see Orion step out from the doorway. He looked at her from under the strands of his long hair in his face. Light from the street lamps caught the green of his eyes. He wore black as he usually did. He looked good and she didn't want it any other way. He smiled shyly and closed the door behind him carefully so that the two doors wouldn't lock together, leaving them outside. 

"You came", he said, looking fairly relieved. 

"Of course I did" she replied. 

After an awkward silence Orion finally motioned for the both of them to go inside. She followed him, mentally slapping herself for staring at his rear. He led her over to the empty bar and offered a seat. 

"Can I get you anything? A drink perhaps?" he offered. 

"No its fine." 

"You look good tonight." 

She looked down at herself momentarily. She wore a short black mini and a long sleeved satin shirt that was also black. To that she added fishnet stockings and lace up knee high boots. She had left her hair loose. She had been hoping she looked good. 

"Um, thank you." 

Jordan blushed and smiled. Orion smiled shyly again but didn't blush. 

"You don't embarrass easy do you?" 

She reached out to touch his cheek. He jumped back just as her fingertips grazed his skin. She looked down at her hand. His skin had been cold. 

"Uh, no, I don't get embarrassed easy. But you'll find I can be quite shy sometimes." 

Again a shy smile. She wanted to faint ever time he did that. Footsteps could be heard and door opened near the far end of the bar. It was the blonde guy. He studied the pair at the other end and then moved towards them. Without Jordan seeing, Orion rolled his eyes as Marcello approached. 

"Jordan, this is my cousin, Marcello." 

She reached out to shake his hand. His was warm to touch unlike Orion. 

"Evening Jordan, pleased to meet you" 

"You too." 

Marcello eyed Orion, raised and eyebrow and left in the direction of the dj booth. 

"He's a man of few words," Orion explained, his hand brushing his hair back behind his shoulders. He watched her looking around the place. Studying her surroundings. She noticed him watching her. She became self conscious. 

"Why are you staring?" 

"I'm not staring. I'm watching you." 

"Ok why are you watching me?" 

"Because you're beautiful and you fascinate me." 

Jordan blushed again. Her face almost entirely red. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his cousin motioning for him to join him. 

"Stay here. Marcello needs my opinion on something." 

"Ok." 

"Ok." 

Orion shot his cousin a look and made his way across the floor. He stormed into the booth, making sure to close the glass door behind him so that she wouldn't hear them. 

"What?!" 

"Cousin, may I remind you of the conversation we had a little while ago?" 

"Yes Marcello. I heard what you said." 

"Good." 

Orion was looking at the floor. His expression wasn't a happy one. More like frustration. 

"I'm just trying to protect you, and the human girl." 

"Her name is Jordan." 

"Yes, fine. Jordan." 

"I won't let her come to harm." 

"What about when she finds out what we really are? What you really are?" 

"Don't you mean if?" 

"She will find out eventually. What then?" 

Orion sat down in the chair. His hands ran down over his face and then back up over his head, smoothing his hair back. His hands remained behind his head, fingers interlocking.  
He had no idea what to do. He knew he should leave her be. She was only a human. Getting her involved in his life would only cause her distress or harm. But there was something about her. Something that made him want her. Made him want to be around her. 

"I don't know what to do." He sighed and stood up. "I just don't know." 

"What happens if you get involved? Will you tell her or let her go?" 

"I don't know. I have to think." 

"Careful. You might hurt yourself." 

He left Marcello in the booth. Could this get anymore complicated? He thought to himself as he made his way back to Jordan. She was sitting quietly waiting for him.  
He sat next to her. She noticed something was wrong. She put her hand on his shoulder 

"Are you ok?" 

"Yeah. Just a minor family disagreement." 

"Oh." 

Another awkward silence. Screw this, he thought to himself. He asked her here to find out more about her. Not sit here like a pair of nervous teenagers. He turned to face her. She looked at him, wondering what he was doing. 

"I want to know about you." 

"What do you want to know?" 

"Well, what do you do?" She smiled. 

"I work for a publisher." 

"So you like books?" 

"Well, yes." 

"Cool." He smiled to himself. He was enjoying this. He racked his brain trying to think of something else he could ask her about. 

They talked about their families, where they were from, other things that they liked. He was having fun learning about her. Until she said she had a boyfriend. If he had a heart that actually beat, he assumed it would've sank right about then. 

"You have a boyfriend?" 

She sighed and looked at her hands. 

"Yes. But not for long." 

"He doesn't treat you well?" 

"Yes and no. Richard's great, successful, but…" 

"But?" 

"He's not for me. My parents kind of threw us together. He's the son of one of Father's partners I'm pretty sure he's trying to make me into something I'm not. I'm not some little country club socialite." She sighed.

"And I think they're hiding something from me. Richard and my Father, I mean." 

Orion felt a little better knowing that this boyfriend of hers wasn't going to be for much longer. 

"So what do you want then?" 

She opened her mouth to answer, when they were interrupted Morgan. He was a tall lean African-American man of about thirty. 

"Orion, it is time to open. Marcello is at the front doors now." 

Orion looked at Jordan. He didn't want to go to work. 

"It's ok, I should probably go anyway. I do have some things to do," she said. Like telling my ill-conceived future ex-boyfriend to disappear, she thought. She got up from her seat and gave Orion a hug. This startled him at first, but then he gently put his arms around her, returning the embrace. They parted and she put her coat on. Orion noted she was blushing again. Then he remembered she was going to answer his question. 

"You didn't get to answer my question. What were you going to say?" 

"Oh, I can't remember now," she lied. He smiled and walked away. She looked at the floor. 

"What do I want Orion?" she whispered to herself. She looked up and watched him walk away.

"You." she murmured. 


	5. Chapter 5

He watched from across the street. Watched her leave. How dare she refuse to spend time with him in favor of the company of those…monsters. But of course, they wouldn't have told her what they are. What he is. He and her father fought to keep their loved ones safe from such creatures, and now, Jordan was fraternizing with them. The vulgarity of it was too much for Richard. Her father and himself had not worked for The Hunting Society just so that they could steal her away into their evil ways. The Society was a centuries old organization that devoted it's time to ridding the world of unnatural creatures such as these ones. The ones that ran this club. He knew that he must protect Jordan from such things. 

She had pulled out of the parking lot now and was driving home. He followed in his car. He kept watching her until her saw the lights in her apartment on. He just wanted to make sure she was home safe. When he was content that she was, he turned the ignition on again and drove away. He had to go report this to her father, and to The Society. The headquarters were not far from Jordan's in fact. Only about ten minutes driving time. The building was that of her father's company. It was the headquarters, cleverly disguised as a business firm. Before he could get inside the building it began to rain. Once inside he had to pass a few security measures. Then, all he had to do was to go to Nathan Randall's office. Jordan's father. 

Nathan Randall was about fifty-four, about average height and a bit plump around the middle. His hair already white. Nathan looked up from his paper work when he heard the door being opened. A tall thin man with strawberry-blonde hair had walked in. 

"Ah, Richard my boy." 

"Nathan." They shook hands. 

Nathan took his glasses off and carefully placed them on the desk in front of him. 

"What can I do for you tonight?" 

"It's Jordan sir." 

Nathan's kind face brightened. His daughter meant the world to him. 

"How is my daughter?" 

"She's fine. For now." 

"What on earth do you mean for now?" 

Richard sighed, trying to decide how to tell Nathan that his little girl was fraternizing with the enemy. 

"Well?" 

"Your daughter is becoming dangerously friendly with the brood who run that club Dark Things." There. He just said as plain as possible. Nathan was silent. His face had gone slightly pale. 

"What?" 

"I have seen her. She is hanging around with the brood of vampires that run that club. I thought it best to make you aware of this situation. For her own safety." 

Nathan thought about Richard's words. Those evil creatures trying to steal his daughter! He would not have this. He would not lose his only daughter to such vile monsters.  
A decision had to made. 

"I will send word to the head of the council. An attack must be planned. These monsters must be eliminated.

I will not sacrifice my daughter." 

"Good decision sir." 

Nathan took out some paper and a pen and began to write the proposal. Richard was satisfied with Nathan's course of action. Although the proposal would take a few weeks to be approved, it would still be worth it. Especially when she would finally see what they really were and she would be grateful and in his arms. Then of course he would marry her and take her father's place. 

"Thank you Richard. That is all." 

Richard bowed his head and left the office. It was all slowly falling into place. He would finally have what he deserved. 

She wandered around her apartment. Checking the street outside ever now and then. She had the strangest feeling earlier that she was being watched, or followed. It bothered her. She checked her answering machine. More messages from Richard. 

"Oh just fuck off already" she said as she deleted them all.

She promised herself to call him tonight and end everything. She knew what she wanted now. And he was not it. Besides, Orion had gotten Marie to catch up her as she left to pass on a message. He said he was going to try and get off work a little early and come see her. She wanted nothing to get in the way of whatever this was between herself and Orion. It was almost midnight. Now was a good time as any to call him.  
She picked up the phone and dialed his cell number. No doubt he was at the office. Finally he answered. 

" Hello. Richard speaking." 

"Hi Richard." 

"Oh hi sweetheart. Why are you calling at this hour of the day? I thought you'd be sleeping or something." 

"No, I'm quite awake. Listen. I have something important to tell you." 

"You can tell me anything sweetheart." 

She took a deep breath. Here goes, she thought, and braced herself. Richard had a rather nasty temper sometimes. 

"We can't see each other anymore." 

"What?! Why? What's happened?!" 

"I don't love you." 

"I don't understand Jordan. What about our plans for the future?" 

"Your plans Richard, your plans. Not mine. I don't love you Richard. I don't want to see you anymore. Don't even call me." 

"You must drunk or something. You don't know what you're saying." 

"I know perfectly well what I'm saying, and I'm very sober." 

Richard had gone quiet. 

"Why are you doing this to me?" 

"Because I don't love you. I don't want to be with you and…" she trailed off. 

"And what?" 

"I've met someone else." 

Richard stayed quiet. For a long time. 

"Richard?" 

"I guess there's nothing more to say Jordan." 

"No. I guess not. Goodbye Richard." 

Before he could answer she hung up. He would either come over and scream at her or phone her three hundred times in the next twelve hours. At least that's what happened last time she tried to break it off with him. This was it now. She knew deep down that she had already fallen for the mysterious bartender. 

A few hours had passed when there was suddenly a knock at the door. She checked the time. It was two thirty. Could it be Orion already? She asked herself. She went and opened the door. She had barely pulled the door open towards her when Richard stormed in. He pushed her away from the doorway and half way across the room and slammed the front door closed. Then he locked it. She pulled herself together and stood up to face him. But he just shoved her again. She stumbled, fell, and went through the glass coffee table.  
She clutched her shoulder and sat up. She looked up at Richard, who was more than furious. 

"What are you doing?" 

"No one leaves me Jordan." 

"Well I did" she replied , trying to get to her feet. 

"Don't be stupid Jordan. I know you love me. I'll forgive you for hurting me tonight if you say you'll come back." 

"Come back to you after this?" she paused, and then she spat at him. "Never." 

Richard didn't like that. He started towards her, she staggered backwards. She tried to get away from him, but he caught her arm. She tried to pull herself free of his grasp. 

"You're hurting me. Let go." 

"I'll stop hurting you when you say you do love me and that you'll come back." 

"No." She kicked at him. 

"Oh you shouldn't have done that. You stupid little bitch." 

He pulled her up by her hair. He delivered a hard backhand that sent her flying through the closed bedroom doors. She was frozen and stunned, lying there on the floor. Everything was spinning. The side of her face felt like it had exploded. She was pulled up off the floor by her hair again. He hit her again. She landed on the end of the bed and slid down onto the floor. 

"Now see what you've made me do. You made me hurt you. Which is the least I could've done to you after you broke my heart." 

"You don't …have… a heart" she said in between breaths. 

He kneeled over her and pulled her bloody face close to his. 

"I did. But then you broke it Jordan. You hurt me real bad tonight. But I'll make you sorry. Then you'll beg me to take you back. I'll make you see that you love me Jordan." 

"No!" 

There was a knock at the door. Richard clamped a hand over her mouth so the visitor couldn't hear her scream. She bit into his fleshy palm hard. As soon as his hand moved from shock she screamed. 

"Help me!!" 

She tried to crawl away from Richard. He grabbed her around the waist. He turned her around and hit her again. She fell to the floor hard. She could hear Orion outside her front door calling her name. She could barely crawl. 

"Orion…help me… Orion…" she whispered, unable to call out. 

The knocking at the door had become a banging. Like someone was trying to break through. 

"Come back here you little slut." He dragged her back toward the bed by the waist of her pants. She gathered together what little vocals she had left. 

"Orion!!!" 

She heard what sounded like the front door being broken through. Richard pulled her up off the floor. He raised his arm high above his head, his hand brandishing a lamp. She thought that would be the last thing she saw. She closed her eyes and waited for it. But it never came. Something made Richard drop her. She opened her eyes. What she saw was Orion rushing at Richard. Richard tried to fight back, but Orion was too quick. He was making a fast mess of Richard. His strength was quite extraordinary. He held Richard up off the floor, pinning him to the wall by his neck. 

"No one touches a woman the way you just have." Orion's voice was icy, full of malice. His violent intentions towards Richard plainly written across his face. 

"Leave now. You ever go near her again, I will finish what I started tonight. Do you understand me?" 

Richard uttered something that sound like he understood. Orion dropped Richard to the floor. Richard crawled a few paces and pulled himself up and staggered out of the apartment. Orion spent a second calming himself. He turned to see what had been done to Jordan. She was still lying on the floor, beaten and bloody, struggling to sit up. He rushed to her side and collected her up in his arms and cradled her gently. 

"You came" she whispered. 

"Ssh Jordan. Of course I came." 

"Yes, you …" she trailed off and lost all consciousness. 

She was hurt quite badly. That disgusting human Richard had beaten her quite severely. He placed a blanket around her and picked her up off the floor. He held her to him and carried her out of the apartment and down to his car. He placed her carefully across the backseat.


	6. Chapter 6

Jordan woke feeling pain all over her body. She felt as if someone had taken to her with a baseball bat, or worse. She opened one eye first, slowly, and then the other. She did not recognize her surroundings. She was in a queen size bed. The large windowless room was furnished with exquisite red wood furniture and a black iron framed full-length mirror. She struggled to sit up. She looked down at herself. She wasn't in her own clothes. She was in someone's long sleeved black button-up shirt. She quickly checked under the shirt. She did still have her underwear on. But where the hell was she? She gently touched her face. It hurt almost everywhere. Then she remembered. Richard bursting in. Richard hitting her. Then Orion. Orion came to her rescue. She remembered now. She was in his arms on the floor when everything went dark. Was that where she was? At Orion's? She went to swung her legs over to the side of the bed. Her feet barely touching the plush carpet. She was about to stand. 

"No, Jordan. Do not get up." 

It was Orion. He rushed to her side and helped her back under the covers. She noted his shirt unbuttoned and quickly looked away. Oh god he's hot, she thought to herself. Then mentally slapped herself for thinking such a thing at a time like this. He let his hand wander to her face, brushing some of her hair out of the way. 

"How are you feeling?" 

"Like I've been hit by a truck." 

"You took a fair beating." 

She dropped her face in her hands. She started to cry. He put an arm around her and she leaned into him. He put his other arm around her. He pulled her gently away from him after a few moments, cupping her face in his hands. There were still tears. 

"No need to cry now. He cannot find you here." 

"He can't?" 

"No." 

"Why did he do this?" 

"Because I left him" she replied. 

He felt nothing but vile hatred and disgust. He let her go and guided her to lean back on the pillows. She looked down at the shirt she wore. 

"Is this yours?" 

He dropped his head and looked sheepish. His hair slipped out from behind his ears and hung in his face. 

"Your clothes were torn, and bloody. I could not leave you in such a state. I changed you into my shirt and cleaned your wounds. That is all." 

"It's ok Orion. I trust you." 

He looked up and smiled. 

Someone knocked on the door. Orion called for them to enter. Marcello entered. 

"Ah, sleeping beauty hath awakened." 

She smiled and blushed, but even that was painful to do. 

"Hello Marcello." 

"Evening Miss Jordan." 

"Evening?" she looked from Orion to Marcello. 

"Orion?" 

"You've been sleeping for two days now." Her mouth hung open as her mind processed this. She finally closed her mouth. Two days. Marcello patted Orion on the shoulder and left the room. Orion watched him close the door then turned his attention to the floor. 

"Do you want to go to a hospital? Or a doctor?" 

She took one of his hands and held it in both of hers. This man who saved her. Mysterious for all the things she still didn't know about him. Yet she felt safe. 

"No. I'm exactly where I'd rather be." 

He smiled and nodded. A loud grumbling came from inside her. She looked down at her stomach and then clutched it with her hands. 

"You're going to need food. I will go get something for you." 

"Ok." 

He stood up from the bed and walked to the wardrobe. She watched as he unbuttoned the bottom two buttons and dropped the shirt on the floor. She tried to make herself look away. But she couldn't. She watched him pull out another shirt and put it on. It was just a simple tight long sleeved shirt.  
He turned back to her. 

"I will return soon." She could only nod. He left the room. 

She sunk down into the pillows and blankets. He is a well-built lean young man, she thought to herself. She looked at the closed door where he had exited and then stared at the ceiling, thinking some rather uncensored thoughts. 

"That should be illegal," she murmured quietly to herself. She breathed in the scent of the shirt. It smelt like him she happily noted. Jordan looked around the room. This was his room. This was his bed she was in. this was his shirt she wore. She was exactly where she felt she wanted to be.  
Outside his room, Orion was putting on shoes. Marcello came back along the hall. He raised his eyebrows. 

"Where are you going cousin?" 

"I, um, have to go buy some food." 

Marcello looked his cousin, looking quite confused. 

"Why on earth…" he trailed off when Orion glared at him like an idiot. 

"Oh, right, human." 

"She needs to eat…what do I get her?" 

Marcello shrugged and looked puzzled. 

"How the fuck should I know? I haven't gone near the stuff in four centuries." 

Orion rolled his eyes. Then he spotted Marie. He rushed down the corridor and grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. 

"Oh it's you Orion. How's your patient?" 

"Hungry." 

"Oh. Well. Ok let me remember how this goes. She hasn't eaten in two days, and she's been through something pretty rough so she'll want something easy for her to swallow, no chewing…ah just get her some soup." 

"Soup?" 

"That's what I said." 

Orion thought about all the human food stands near and around the club. One of them should sell something like that he assumed. He left through the back entrance rather then all the way out the front of the club. Naturally he had no idea what he was doing. 

Back inside, Marie went to see this human girl. She opened the door to Orion's bedroom. The girl looked up at the doorway. Marie studied her for a moment. There wasn't too much injury to her face now. Orion had applied some of his blood to the worst areas. She looked ok now. Still a few bruises, a cut or two. But compared to what she looked like when Orion brought her here, she probably could've won Miss America. 

"Nice to see you awake miss." 

"Uh, it's Jordan." 

"I'm Marie." 

"Um, I need a phone. I'm sure my father has called up half the city's police force by now." 

"Sure. I'll go find one for you." 

Marie left the room, closing the door behind her. Human or otherwise, no woman should be hurt like that, Marie thought. It disgusted her. A few moments later Orion returned. He held a take-away soup container in his left hand. The way he held it away from himself it looked like he thought it might bite him. Marie stifled a giggle. She put a white cordless phone into his white hand. He looked confused again. 

"She requested a phone." 

Looking less confused he nodded and went to take the soup and phone to Jordan. He found her still in the bed, struggling to prop up pillows against the headboard of the bed behind her. Orion quickly put the phone and the soup down and rushed to her side. 

"Here let me." 

She stopped and let Orion deal with the pillows and let him guide her back against them. 

"Here is your, um, soup." He shrugged. "Chicken". 

He picked up the phone and handed it to her. She took the phone and looked at it in her hands. She forgot why she wanted it. Then she remembered she wanted to ring her father. She pressed each number of her father's cell phone then waited for her father to answer. 

"Hello? Nathan Randall speaking." 

"Hello Father." 

"Jordan! My god I've so worried about you!" 

"I'm fine father" she reassured, looking at Orion as she spoke. 

"Well, where are you? There have terrible rumors circulating. Especially after the state your apartment is in. And what's this about you calling it off with Richard?" 

"I'm with a friend. As for Richard, it's over. That's why my apartment is trashed. It was him father." 

"What? I don't understand." 

"I called it off with him. Then he came over and we had a fight. A friend of mine turned up just in time." 

"A fight? What sort of fight?" 

Jordan sighed. Richard and father were close. They worked together. She wasn't sure if her father would believe her. 

"Father, Richard was hitting me. A good friend of mine turned up and rescued me. I'm fine now."  
Her father was quiet. Usually when he did that it meant that he was rather angry or unconvinced. 

"Father?" 

"Are you sure it was Richard?" 

"Well yes." 

"I just can't see him doing such a thing. He adores you." 

"Yeah so much that he'd rather beat me to a pulp for dumping his ass." 

"I'm going to talk with Richard when he comes back." 

"Comes back." 

"Yes he was sick for a day, and then flew out to Seattle this morning for business. I haven't seen him since the night you two split up." 

"He did this dad. He's not what you think." 

"I'll speak to him and sort out this misunderstanding. Bye sweetheart." 

"Dad it's not a misund…" 

She was cut off. Her father had hung up on her. She put the phone down in her lap and closed her eyes to think. Orion watched her. She was quite frustrated. She opened her eyed and looked at Orion who was patiently sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her to say something. 

"I don't think he believes me. He says he hasn't seen Richard since he left the office that night."  
Orion changed the subject quickly. She was clearly distressed and he wanted her to not worry. 

"You are looking well. Almost all healed." 

"Oh yes, I would've thought I would still look pretty beaten up. You and your friends must've taken great care of me." Orion had to think of something. 

"Marie is quite talented with Herbal remedies" he lied. 

"I must get a thank you gift for her later." 

Orion smiled. He said his goodnight and left her to rest some more. He needed to leave that room with her in it. He closed the door behind him then leaned against. There she was, beautiful, her white skin, that slender throat… he mentally slapped himself. He would not think that way about her. He felt that familiar aching inside him. He needed to hunt. He went out into the night once more.


	7. Chapter 7

Back at Nathan Randall's office, a bruised Richard sat in the chair opposite Nathan's desk. Nathan had just finished speaking to Jordan. He looked puzzled, concerned. Obviously Richard had to tell him a different story. He had to lie. He just had to. 

"She said you did the damage to her apartment. She also said that you hit her." 

Richard feigned shock and hurt. 

"Me?" 

"Why she would say something like that?" 

"Obviously she is being made to say those things. Those fiends from the club were the ones there and took her away. As I already told you. But not before they hit her and beat me to a pulp for trying to stop them." 

"I still don't understand why they would target you and Jordan." 

"Maybe they know what our business really is." 

"Perhaps. But then they should just come for me." 

Nathan was puzzled. These evil creatures had his precious daughter, and according to Richard, against her will and being made to say awful things. Richard wouldn't lie. It had to be the truth. Richard wouldn't lie. He trusted Richard. 

"We must organize to get her back and destroy them." 

"Yes. I will call the council directly myself." 

Richard was pleased. Nathan Randall was an old fool. He trusted Richard. He would believe anything Richard said. Richard was finally getting his way and getting those creatures, and one in particular, destroyed. Then he would get Jordan back. She would see then that she did love him. He would rescue her and she would see. He left his train of thought and turned his attention back to Nathan. Nathan had finished speaking to the council. Richard looked hopeful. 

"Well?" 

"We are to rescue my daughter as soon as a team can be assembled. Those monsters that have her will die." 

Richard was very happy to hear this. Yes, everything was finally going his way. 

"I have a very bad feeling," Jordan stated the following night. She and Orion were gathered with the others in the club. Much to Orion's delight, the others had slowly come around to the idea of Jordan. Even Marcello. They were beginning to find her a rather welcome visitor. Marie and Charlotte had taken to playing with Jordan's long hair as if she were a live doll. Jordan didn't seem to mind. 

"I'm sure things will turn around." 

"You don't know my father. Or Richard." 

Orion frowned. 

"I'm sure I've got a pretty good idea of Richard's character." 

"I just know that they're going to do something rather rash." 

Orion dared to put an arm around Jordan. She reached her hand up to her shoulder to hold his. Out of the corner of Orion's eye he caught Marcello rolling his eyes. Orion ignored him and turned his attention back to Jordan. Her hand clasping his on her shoulder. His eyes trailed off to the smooth lines of her neck. He shook his head. He realized again that he hadn't found sustenance again. He did not want Jordan to fall victim to frenzy. 

"I'll be back soon. I promise." 

She looked at him strangely. Where on earth could he possibly have to run off to? She watched Marcello agree to go with him. As much as she was learning about him, there was just as much that was still a mystery. He always disappeared for an hour each night. She made some excuse to need to go for a walk. Jordan made her way quickly outside. She watched in hiding as Marcello and Orion parted company. She followed Orion. He almost looked like he was looking for something. It took awhile, but, he finally stopped. 

He looked around, and then ducked into an alley nearby. 

Jordan followed. She crept around rubbish, a sleeping drunk, and a few rats. Then she found him. He was crouched down on the filthy littered ground and it seemed that there was someone in his arms. 

"Orion?" 

His head came fast. He let go of the person, who fell to the floor, and didn't move again. He faced her. She shook her head. She was horrified and confused. 

"No…no…" she repeated. It was the only thing she could think of. What was he? 

His eyes, they burned lighter than their usual emerald green. That mouth. That mouth that she had dreamt of. It was swollen and covered in something red. Checking the body at his feet, the blood, she knew what was on his mouth. His teeth. She did not remember them being like that. 

"Jordan. I can explain." 

"I uh…" she couldn't talk. She stumbled backwards over some trash, and hit the wall behind her. The back of her head connecting with the red bricks hard. Orion couldn't believe what happened. She found out. She had seen him in his most horrid form. He picked her up and took her back to the club. 

Back at the club, Marcello was trying to console Orion. Orion was destroyed. Jordan had watched him feed, watched him take life. 

"She would have found out eventually." 

"But it shouldn't have been like this." 

"Orion…" 

"She'll never see me as anything other than a monster." 

Marie came into the bar from their quarters. With Jordan in tow. Marie guided her to a chair, facing Orion and Marcello. She was afraid. He could smell it. The last thing he had ever wanted was for her to be afraid of him. Marcello motioned for him to start trying to smooth things out. 

"Jordan I…" 

She tried to look at him, but couldn't. 

"What are you?" 

"I am what you saw." 

"You looked like a…" 

Orion nodded. She frowned. 

"This is not real. I have to be dreaming." 

"Haven't you ever wondered why you never see us eat? Or why you've never seen us outside?"

Marcello questioned before Orion could say anything. 

"Us?" 

Marcello rolled his eyes again. 

"Oh come on Jordan. You can't expect that only Orion would be a vampire. We all are." 

She shook her head in disbelief. Orion leapt off his chair and landed at her feet. 

"I never wanted you to find out this way. I never wanted you to be afraid of me. Of what I am." 

She tried to stop shaking. All her life, just like everyone else, she had read stories and seen movies. It was all myth wasn't it? But here she was, and the one she'd fallen for at her feet telling her it was all real. That he and his cousin and their friends were really vampires. It was all a bit much really. 

"You can leave and never see me again. I'll understand." 

"I need to think." 

Marie motioned for her to head back into their quarters. She got up quickly and ran for Orion's room. She slammed the door in her haste and leaned up against it. She didn't know what to do, let alone what to think. She closed her eyes but all she could see was Orion in that alley with that blood on his mouth. She really wanted this to be a dream. Just some strange dream. She picked up the crumpled black shirt from off the pillow. His shirt. The same one she had slept in. she smelled the shirt. It still smelt like him. Her head hurt now. She went to bed and laid down. Soon she was asleep. 

Sometime later, Marie checked on her, then went back to the bar to report to Orion. He was still sitting on a stool leaning on his arms that were folded and rested on top of the bar. 

"She's sleeping." 

"That's nice." 

"Oh Orion, I cant believe I'm saying this about you and a human girl, but, if she cares about you she'll come around. I think." He gave her a look after that last comment that said he wasn't convinced. 

"I'm going to go talk to her." 

Marie wished him luck. He braced himself for a moment, and left Marie so he could find Jordan.  
He found her asleep in his room. Holding onto the shirt that she had slept in the past few nights. He wanted it all to be different. He found himself hating what he was. He was almost wishing that she had never come to the club that night. He would do anything to have her look at him the way she did before tonight. The way she looked at him tonight made him feel as if he was going to come apart.


End file.
